Free Astrosaurs 3 by Steve Cole

Chapter One
A SOGGY MISSION
    In orbit high above the planet Aqua Minor, Captain Teggs Stegosaur was waiting to start his next adventure.
    He was waiting
very
impatiently.
    â€œAdmiral Rosso had better call us soon,” Teggs grumbled, chomping on the delicious moss that covered his control pit. “I can’t wait to find out why we’ve been sent to the soggiest planet in the Jurassic Quadrant!”

    â€œI’m sure it won’t be much longer, Captain,” said Arx Orano, the triceratops beside him.

    Sitting around twiddling his thumbs wasn’t easy for the young, daredevil stegosaurus. He didn’t have any thumbs, for a start.
    Teggs commanded the DSS
Sauropod
, the finest ship in the Dinosaur Space Service. He and his crew were all highly trained astrosaurs. They flew through space helping plant-eaters in peril – wherever the planet, whatever the risk.
    But why had the
Sauropod
been sent to a world full
of fish
?
    â€œMaybe Admiral Rosso thinks we need a holiday by the seaside,” said Iggy Tooth, the
Sauropod’s
Chief Engineer. A brave iguanodon, he wasclever with machines and fiercely loyal to his captain. “I don’t really like the seaside. I’m not keen on fish. I met a fish with no eyes, once.”

    â€œThat would make it
a fish.
Get it?” called Gipsy Saurine from her seat. Gipsy was a duck-billed hadrosaur with scaly, stripy skin. She handled the ship’s communications and much more besides. “Anyway, there
is
no seaside on Aqua Minor. Only sea!”
    â€œCalling Captain Teggs . . .” The gruff voice of Admiral Rosso, the crusty old barosaurus in charge of the Dinosaur Space Service, suddenly crackled from the
Sauropod’s
speakers. “Captain Teggs, can you hear me?”
    â€œAt last!” spluttered Teggs through a mouthful of moss. He rose up from the control pit – eight metres long from tail to beak, with jagged bony plates running down his orange-brown back.
    Gipsy trotted over to Teggs. “Shall I put the admiral on the scanner screen, Captain?” she asked.
    â€œYes please,” said Teggs.
    Gipsy whistled the order through her snout to the dimorphodon. These plucky pterosaurs were the
Sauropod’s
flight and they loved to be bossed about.

    The team leader flapped down and pecked scanner control happilywith his beak. A moment later, Admiral Rosso’s wrinkled face appeared.

    â€œAh, there you are, Teggs,” said the old barosaurus. “Sorry to keep you waiting, but running an entire space fleet keeps me busy. And when you get to my age . . .”
    Teggs saluted. “What’s up, sir?”
    â€œIt’s what’s
down
that’s worrying us,” said Admiral Rosso. “Down below!”
    Arx and Gipsy swapped puzzled looks. But Teggs just smiled at the thought of a brand new adventure beginning at last.
    â€œSomething very big and very dangerous is swimming about in the seas of Aqua Minor,” the admiral went on. “The cryptoclidus who go fishing there are getting very worried.”
    Teggs frowned. “Crypto-who?”
    â€œA race of sea reptiles from the planet Cryptos,” Arx explained. “They have run out of food in their own world, so now they fish the waters of Aqua Minor for squid and shellfish. Then they send it by rocket to the folk back home.”

    â€œVery good, Arx,” smiled Admiral Rosso. “Teggs, you have a first-rate first officer there!”
    â€œHe’s the best,” Teggs agreed. “So, what’s been happening on Aqua Minor?”
    â€œFive undersea fish factories have beenwrecked, along with several submarines.” Admiral Rosso sighed. “But no one knows who’s doing it – or why!”
    Teggs nodded. “And you want us to find out.”

    â€œThat’s right,” said Admiral Rosso. “The cryptoclidus may not be vegetarians, but they are still our friends and neighbours in space.